Magic and the Machine

After catching their collective breaths, the party decided to investigate a nearby "attraction" as seen on the posters around them on the Low Path platform.

DRAGONROOSTThis peak was once home to the baleful Neferneferuaten, a massive crimson beast who darkened the sky with her presence. The brave warriors of the 49th Infantry took her down in Year 15 using technology shared by the Elven United University Council with the Dwarven Empire. It took 30 soldiers using single-shot steal and lead muskets to subdue the beast. Only 12 survived the fight. King Darzin honored each of the Infantry members (or their families) with a special Medal of Valor, each crafted with a scale from the beast. The survivors of the fight were also permitted to each take a rib. The rest of the monster's body was taken to Huangshan city for study and preservation but has recently been returned to the site so the public can view it.

The PCs climbed up out of the Low Path and began scrambling upwards. They looked towards the GLiBriHuD encampment, but there was no action to be seen there yet.

Slightly above the cave, the PCs found a twisting path that looked like it may lead them up to the peak. In a cluster of jumping spike cactuses, they found a desiccated body. Eddie was able to inspect the body without being hurt by the cactus spines – he found a small tricorder device – a monster inspector! The device allows the wearer to analyze a creature's power and health. The party also noted that it appeared the elf had fallen from a cliff about 20 feet above them.

Slightly further on, the party found the dried, shed shell of a young Ohm beetle. The shell was about 3 feet long and 3 feet tall. It's hard and shiny, #12 can wear it as protection! JJatchi holds on to it in his magic bag for safekeeping.

After a couple hours of climbing, the PCs reach the next level plateau. There is still no sign of Chuul and Makbar on the horizon. #12 investigates a small cave that leads into the side of the mountain – inside the air is damp and cool – a trickled of water seems to be seeping down the walls, enliving a bloom of mushrooms and molds. Near the center of the room there are 3 more small Ohm shells, but these ones have been damaged and overtaken by molds and the familiar Cordyceps fungus. As #12 approaches, three slime molds detach themselves from their hiding places and embody the Ohm shells. The baby Ohms surge with new "life" charging at #12!

#12 runs outside towards the rest of the party. Eventually, they are able to crack the Ohm shells and subdue the small slimes inhabiting them. The slimes challenge the party with their dividing and rusting tactics.

After another stretch of climbing, the party arrives at the top of the peak, the sun is beginning to set and they cast long shadows across the plaza. There is a short, stone obelisk in the center of the outdoor platform, listing the names of the 30 dwarven soldiers. Beyond the obelisk, there's a large cave – the dragon's actual roost.

Inside the cave the party inspects the information cards in front of the desiccated dragon body and the empty nest. #12 notices a few familiar ticks just inside the cave area – they are Thieve's Cant markings, indicating the number of times a person has visited an area (4) The party harvests a few useful materials from the dried up dragon.

As they are poking around, a massive slime mold seeps out of the walls and into the dragon's body. Once again the baleful creature stirs!

Discretion being the better part of valor, the party books it through an opening in the floor. They traverse downwards until they hit the top of the Low Path Platform, safe and sound … for now.

The party stands at the mouth of the cave, wary to enter. Edward calls upon Ter to determine if there is any evil in the area and the cave is indeed evil! At the mouth of the cave and in the water there are shiny flecks and signs of orichalcum.

The Witch is invisible – #1 spots the witch's footprints leaving on the opposite side of the lake and lets loose an Eldritch Blast, somehow hitting her.

No one else gets a hit in, but we try. Edward releases his bees attempting to hunt the witch down.

Suddenly, an Elf Woman (Ragedd Anwen) with black and silver armor steps out of the cave. She insists that we leave the area as the effects of the Reagent cause many different health problems in Elves, apparently.

#1 telepathically senses something strange from the Elf Woman and says "I DON'T BELIEVEYOU" the elf twitches and acts weird. #1 blasts her again, and her mask is ripped away revealing the twisted witchy creature from before. The party starts to move in, ready to attack. The Ragedd Anwen turns invisible again!

We enter the cave and see a spartan living area. Edward's bees, using their heightened sense of smell, are able to locate the creature and help the party target the invisible witch!

The Ragedd Anwen sneaks up on #1 and uses her twisted claws to brutally maul her – #1 is badly injured, but Eddie, empowered with the light of Ter finally destroys the monster with an might holy smite.

A door in the cave opens and we hear a muffled cry … inside the next room is a small human girl, defenseless, or so she seems. Consulting her Book of Shadows, #1 learns that the girl was dead and her body was possessed by an evil fae. From her studies in the Biology department at the University of Growth, Jia relays that some Fae need to collect human children to reproduce.

After a terse discussion, #12 takes action, shooting the "girl" in cold blood. Eddie is devastated – he was hoping to save her somehow. He finds a locket around her neck with a picture of a dark haired human woman, presumably the girl's mother.

When the party returns to camp, Elder Wisdom informs them that she has had a vision: Makbar and Chuul are on their way with a heavily armed platoon to retrieve the Ceramic Automaton. Elder Wisdom and Petey Pyro want to use the automaton as bait to lead the platoon into a trap – they have one more bomb left. As the pull the bomb out Jia notices that it is no manufactured item – in fact it is a highly magical dragon egg! The party tries convincing Elder Wisdom and Petey Pyro to save the egg, but they are deadset – this is the perfect opportunity for them to "take care of" Makbar and Chuul for good and give them a chance to return to Steadwick in their place.

The party wants to save the dragon egg – they see it as a valuable resource, the NPCs are not convinced. So, while Elder Wisdom, Petey Pyro and Riptide are helping the rest of the camp move out – the party steals the Egg and high-tails it for The Low Path.

While the party was discussing what to do with their pilfered high-tech ceramic golem (stolen during its shipment to the Minowac State Mining Company headquarters) you encountered several small green snakes in your hut.

Snakes! The whole Green Liberation Brigade of Humans and Dwarves (GLiBriHaD) encampment has been overrun with tiny, green poisonous snakes. As you struggled with the snakes, SARA's Character appeared from the woods.

Sara's character is a fine ranger but a poor wizard. She was studying with the College of Growth, Berkeley (located on the coast, about 5 days travel away) but she "butted heads" with her academic advisor and didn't really approve of the whole magically automated golem idea anyways. She had been tracking Galor and Kiki and found them here, at the encampment.

The party found masses of snakes in their equipment (especially in the baskets of orichalcum ore) and infesting Shaggy. Elder Wisdom was able to use lightning magic to kill the snakes without harming her pet.

With Sara's help the party tracked the source of the snakes northward through the wilderness. They found a marshy beaver pond, near a small cave in the foothills of the mountains. As they approached the cave, they saw a little girl in the cave, but she hid as the party approached. Simultaneously, they encountered a menacing prescence. "GETOUT" it demanded. Edward detected that the cave was filled with evil and the party decided to "take care of it."

After defeating a slew of giant toads and snakes, the presence appeared to the party and let out a howl. The female looking figure was about 6 ft tall, it had long, wild, white hair covering its face and its arms and legs were twisted and deformed like ropy tree branches. She howled with agony and then in a blink of an eye, disappeared…